Do you have a word for 2015? I think I have had one each year for the past 2 or 3. Last year was Abundance* and 2013 was Daring Greatly.

In 2014, I want to focus on "Tend". Long time blog readers will know that from the end of 2013 and throughout much of 2014, I was plagued by burn out. I did too much, took too many risks and was rocked when a stressful living situation hit us. I didn't take care of my self, made poor business and personal decisions and neglected a lot of my relationships.

I start this year knowing that I can not be in that position again. Not only because of my own business and life, but because so many people (and animals!) rely on me.

So, in 2014, I will take better care of myself. I will do a better job of planning, of saying no and getting myself out of situations that aren't working for me. I have clear priorities and a limit to the amount of work I can take on this year.

In outward terms, I simply want to grow a garden. It seems so simple, doesn't it, but for the last 4 years there has really been no time for it. Babies, books, deadlines, it all has added together to mean that we have had a failed garden for 4 years. In the scheme of everything else, it just never seemed like a priority or when it was I simply couldn't get myself out to work on it. Not this year.

Lest there be any physical hurdles to my goal, we** spent most of the holidays sorting out the chicken swamp, aka walled garden. We have a huge drainage problem, not at all helped by the marauding hoard of birds that love to dig. Fences need building, soil needs improving and chickens need better accommodation.

And so, this year I will tend - to my priorities, to my health and to my garden. So simple, but we shall see if I can accomplish it.

*I can't find a post on it, but when searching found this one with photos of Theo - OMG what happened to my baby?!?!

**And by "we" I mean Kevin and my in laws who benefitted from my unlimited supply of tea, coffee and biscuits.